The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In the fields of automotive industry, energy and in particular nuclear energy, telecommunications, avionics, industrial machines, electronic appliances, communication networks, and in a general manner in the industrial field, it is often complex to ensure the individual identification of the cables, conduits and other tubular elements, for the purposes of servicing, repair, maintenance, traceability, logistics, distribution, configuration management or tamper-resistant safety.
To this end, it is known, in particular from the document EP 2 765 537 A1, to use radio-frequency identification devices mounted on such tubular elements, in order to establish a radio-frequency identification according to the RFID technology.
Document EP 2 765 537 A1 proposes a radio-frequency identification device comprising a radio-frequency identification chip connected to a dipolar antenna with strands, with an envelope made of a shape-memory material, such as in particular polytetrafluoroethylene. The radio-frequency identification device is fastened on the tubular element by taking advantage of the shape-memory characteristics of the envelope, and more specifically by arranging the envelope in the form of a twisted ribbon and by ensuring the fastening by clasping by performing a retraction subsequently to a stretching.
However, it turns out that such a fastening by clasping subsequently to a stretching, using the shape-memory properties of the envelope, does not offer a sufficient mechanical strength under all conditions.
Indeed, in environments called constrained environments subjected to vibrations, and possibly to considerable temperature variations and/or chemically toxic or corrosive atmospheres and/or severe pressure conditions, it is essential to guarantee a durable and stable fastening of the radio-frequency identification device on the element to be identified, while offering an effective protection of the radio-frequency identification chip.
There is also known from U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0186210 a radio-frequency identification device for a tubular element, where the device comprises a flexible sleeve protecting an RFID transponder in connection with an antenna which forms at least one peripheral turn in order to enable proceeding to reading regardless of the orientation. However, such a device turns out to be impractical, because it requires fitting the sleeve around the tubular element, which completely prohibitive for cables or conduits networks, in particular in bulky and difficult to access spaces. In addition, such a device may have sealing issues and also defects in stable holding around the tubular element. Indeed, the sleeve is held only by elastic tightening and by friction, which cannot be considered in constrained environments subjected to high vibrations and to considerable temperature variations.